Underneath the Bruises
by Hex the Magician
Summary: Monsters. That's what they thought of them. Mariku and Bakura were monsters. And in the eyes of the Pharoah and  everyone else they were idiots for loving them.


**Hello! This is my I hope it's not too bad. Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer:I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of it's characters. **

**Underneath the Bruises**

"They did it again."

"Why do those two stay with them?"

They were at it again. Whenever they came to school with unexplained bruises they would question them. They would ask them why they were still with them. They would tell them that they could do so much better. They would try to explain their worth as human beings. But Marik and Ryou knew that it was all lies. They still hadn't forgiven them. Even though during battle city Marik was not himself and Ryou hadn't even touched floor there, they wouldn't see it. They couldn't see passed the bruises.

Purple, black, and green. They would were them in the open. They didn't try to hide them underneath make-up, because they knew they were still there. And, they weren't ashamed of them either.

"Please try to understand that you guys don't deserve this"

"We don't deserve happiness?"

"This isn't happiness. This is abuse."

"Like you would know anything about abuse pharaoh"

"That's not the point. I know abuse when I see it"

"We don't care. We love them."

"They must have you guys under some kind of spell" said the Pharaoh," there's no other way you'd guys would put up with it"

Why couldn't they understand that they loved each other? Why couldn't they see past the bruises?

"Why do you insist were under some spell? Is our happiness really that horrible to you?"

Marik looked over at Ryou shocked by the statement. Looking at him he could see the tears in his eyes.

He couldn't take it. Every day was the same Ra-damned thing.

"Listen carefully, we love them. Not because were under some spell. But, because, they, believe it or not, have treated us better than any of you."

Yami snorted, "So they say a few nice words and say your special and you let them treat you like this? I wonder, what's the real reason your always fighting?"

"Why? Because, the make-up sex is incredible! Why do you think?"

Ryou watched as his lover tried to reason with the stupid pharaoh. He didn't understand why they couldn't just leave them alone? Sure, Mariku and Bakura weren't the nicest most stable people. But they weren't murderess either. Underneath all that stereotype were like everyone else.

"There monsters! They don't deserve people like you!"

Monsters. That's what they thought of them. Mariku and Bakura were monsters. And in the eyes of the pharaoh and everyone else they were idiots for loving them.

"No."

"What?"

"No, Bakura and Mariku are the nicest people I've ever met."

"Open your eyes Ryou-"

"Open my eyes? You should open your eyes! Open them and see past the bruises! Can't you see that while my ass-whole of a dad isn't there for me. Bakura was. That while you guys were out and trying to defeat Marik. You guys didn't stop to think that his father abused him. That because of you and your stupid items he was forced to live underground and go through a barbaric ceremony? That while all this was happening Mariku was there for him."

"Ryou, please listen."

"Why should he listen to you? When all you guys have done is brought us misery?"

"What do you mean?"

"We don't have to explain ourselves to you. Our lives are our lives. And we live it however we wish. C'mon Ryou let's go."

He grabbed Ryou's hand and left. He couldn't stand to be there for another second. He looked at Ryou and saw the tears and pain hidden in those chocolate pools.

"Ryou. Don't cry they don't know anything"

"Why can't they see past the bruises. They are our darks. We are there lights. We co-exist and love each other enough to see past all the flaws."

"'They'll never understand"

They walked home in chilly night. Both looking at the night sky and wondering why they didn't leave them alone. What had drove them to close there eyes from the truth. Mariku and Bakura had truly changed. When they made it home they could see that the living room lights were on. That meant that Bakura and Mariku were there. They opened the door and were immediately greeted by the warmth there house provided.

"Where were you guys?" Bakura said from his spot on the floor.

"We were out with the pharaoh and his gang" replied Marik.

"Good, we were starting to think you guys had been kidnapped. We were starting to get worried" Mariku said

"You were worried about us?" Ryou asked.

"Of course, why wouldn't we be?" Mariku asked.

"You do care," Ryou whispered under his breath.

"Hmmm? What was that Ryou?" Marik asked

"Oh, nothing," Ryou said turning towards Mariku and Bakura," Do you guys love us?"

All Mariku and Bakura was just stare shocked. What had possessed Ryou to ask such a question? They did all in their power to make sure that they knew that they were loved. Bakura got off from his spot on the floor and walked towards Ryou.

"Why do you ask?" Mariku asked

"It was the stupid pharaoh. He questioned our love for each other. He called you monsters. He said that you couldn't make us happy."

Mariku and Bakura were shocked. They were used to the questions and assumptions from their lovers friends.

They knew that pharaoh didn't approve of their love but only ever insulted them. Bakura had had enough, he walked towards Ryou and kissed him. Pulling away he tilted Ryou's head to be able to look him in the eye.

"Ryou, I don't know what that baka pharaoh said about us and I frankly don't care. We love you guys. Sure we may have hurt you a couple of times. But haven't we begged for forgiveness and beaten ourselves up for hurting such precious people as yourselves?"

"Yes."

"Then why would you doubt us?"

Ryou smiled," I've never doubted you guys. I just get frustrated when they make such assumptions. I know you guys love us and I hope you guys know we love you to. But I can't help to want to hear it.

Sometimes I want to make sure that all of this is just sin't some cruel dream I might wake up from one day."

Marik smiled, putting his arm around Ryou he said, "I know what you mean. After all horrible things that have happened in my life. Such happiness is something like a dream. Knowing that I am loved by someone is great. But, knowing that three people share my love for them and love me back is like something from a fairytale."

Mariku and Bakura stood there. There lights. There other halves. Were spilling their feelings to them. What would they do? The very kids they saw grow up were right there saying that they loved them. Granted they knew that but they couldn't help but feel happy. Walking up to them and engulfing them in hug they both said, "We are your darks."

"And we are your lights."

Together they said, "We are two halves of the same whole"

Mariku smiled, "We love you guys no matter how horrible it may look in the eyes of others."

Ryou and Marik smiled.

"We also love you guys. We will love through all the bruises."

They stayed like that for a while. All happy knowing that there love is all they need. Knowing that even though it was wrong in the eyes of others, it was right in there eyes. Knowing that underneath all the bruises they were loved. Maybe this wasn't some dream that they would wake up from one day. Maybe it was just a beautiful reality. They stayed there not wanting to go to sleep. Because, just like Dr. Seuss had once said. Reality was finally better than their dreams.

**Forgive me! I know this might suck but, I just had to post it. I am a huge fan of Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfiction. So, while I was dying of boredom in band I wrote this. The pairing is Marik/Ryou/Mariku/Bakura or Conspireshipping.**

**The quote by the way for those of you who might not know what it says, it's:**

**"You know your in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams."**


End file.
